Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site amdahl.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!bellcore!decvax!decwrl!amdcad!amdahl!canopus From: canopus@amdahl.UUCP (Alpha Carinae) Newsgroups: net.astro Subject: Fremont Peak Observatory Update (Long) Message-ID: <2665@amdahl.UUCP> Date: Wed, 29-Jan-86 16:16:54 EST Article-I.D.: amdahl.2665 Posted: Wed Jan 29 16:16:54 1986 Date-Received: Sat, 1-Feb-86 04:09:32 EST Organization: RA: 6h 22m 30s; Dec: -52d 36m Lines: 104 Keywords: telescope, observatory The Fremont Peak Observatory Association is a not-for-profit, tax exempt organization whose goal is public education in Astronomy. Fremont Peak Observatory is located within Fremont Peak State Park, just outside of San Juan Bautista, California. From time to time I post our Association's progress in building our Observatory. The following articles are excerpts from our official publication, "The Fremont Peak Observer". Questions, comments, etc concerning the FPOA should be directed to me. Observatory Groundbreaking (by Denni Medlock) --------------------------------------------- Mild temperatures and a weekend break in the rainclouds gave the FPOA a dry day for its Groundbreaking Ceremonies on December 14th. Over 40 people (roughly half our membership!) attended the afternoon event at the Association's site on the hill behind the Ranger's house. Groundbreaking itself was handled by our shovel- wielding Association President Bob Fingerhut, who was spurred on by the applause of the assembled group. Kevin Medlock had come up earlier that weekend to prepare for the Groundbreaking, and spent Friday evening determining the all- important North-South line using Polaris and a transit. On Saturday morning, Kevin and fellow Association members Frank Dibbell and Charlie Carlson layed out and tagged all 39 foundation and two telescope pier locations, using the line determined from the night before and the Observatory blueprints. Upon completion of the Groundbreaking Ceremonies, Association members were invited to warm up with coffee provided by the Park Rangers in the equipment building, and to view the Observatory drawings and blueprints on display there. For most of those present it was the first look they had had of the plans for the building. A no-host barbecue followed at Coulter Camp Group Picnic Area, and for those brave souls who didn't mind the cold, chances to view Comet Halley were provided. John Gleason, an Association Board Member and Astro- photographer Extraordinaire, captured the comet on film using a 40 minute exposure with chilled Konica 1600 color negative film. This beautiful shot will join the FPOA archives, commemorating the date of our Observatory's Groundbreaking. 30" STATUS REPORT (by Denni Medlock) ------------------------------------- The 30-inch telescope is facing its last stages of assembly, much to the relief of everyone associated with it. This one ton beauty has reached a point where it can no longer be worked on in the Medlock garage! Jack Peterson has generously donated a 12' x 12' x 14' area at his place of business, where the telescope will undergo final assembly and remain until the Observatory building is complete. Movement of the sub-assemblies to the warehouse, located in Milpitas, took place on Sunday January 12th. It took nine Association members five hours to transport all the components to the warehouse. The telescope now sits in the warehouse, on wooden piers, with all major sub-assemblies put together. Kevin reports that it will take about 20 pounds more of weight to balance it properly, and it will still need to be fine tuned for movement. The painting of the tube assembly and the polar housing will take place here (instrument white and midnight blue). Recently completed on the telescope was the declination assembly, which included the cutting and welding of the cradle assembly and its matching pieces on the tube. The declination gear is in place, and the clutches have been made for both the R. A. and declination gears. The worms for these gears are the only major components left to machine. The secondary holder is an indexing piece; that is, the diagonal may be rotated to either side of the tube to facilitate viewing objects that otherwise would require the viewer to lean far over the tube. That would be a very precarious position from the top of a 12 foot ladder! The rest of this article pertains only to local area residents... Tours of the partially assembled scope can be arranged by calling Kevin or Denni at 415-654-6796. This is a very impressive instrument; it is well worth the trip out to Milpitas to see it. April Star Party & Cometwatch ----------------------------- An FPOA sponsored Star Party will be held on Saturday, April 12th, at Fremont Peak State Park beginning at dusk. A no-host barbecue will precede the Star Party, behind the Ranger's house near the Observatory Site. A Halley Cometwatch will commence around midnite. Summer Public Programs ---------------------- The FPOA will be running a public observing program this Summer at the Peak, beginning in May. The dates and program titles have not yet been set. -- Frank Dibbell (408-746-6493) ...!{ihnp4,cbosgd,sun}!amdahl!canopus Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA [This is the obligatory disclaimer..]